Page 38 - LHR DEC 2025.cdr
P. 38
Italjet Dragster 700 Twin: Öhlins, Brembos, Akras, Márquez
paint – Are they high?
By LHR Biker Magazine | Photography Italjet
Visi ng the legendary Imola circuit for the first me is Tartarini sees huge poten al in Chinese manufacturers,
an experience in itself. This is Duca , Bimota, Ferrari, much like the Japanese brands of the 1970s.
Masera , and Lamborghini country. And, tucked among How does it handle on a track?
them, Italjet. Having ridden scooters on tracks before, I can safely
say the Dragster is surprisingly capable. The premium
A bou que Italian bike maker with serious two- suspension and light 190kg dry weight, combined
wheeled heritage, Italjet was founded in the with s cky Pirelli tyres, make for a genuinely
1960s by Leopoldo Tartarini. Over the fun ride. Ground clearance is reasonable,
decades, it has produced a range of quirky, the brakes are strong, and once you
innova ve machines powered by adjust to the semi-step-through
everything from CZ two-stroke singles to stance, it's a proper giggle around the
Triumph Bonneville twins. Today, I'm corners.
here to wrestle one of their latest At the launch event, no one came
crea ons around Imola: the Dragster off—a solid testament to the
700 Twin. Dragster's composure. The engine,
while smooth, lacks the punch you
might want on Imola's long uphill
Its steel trellis “space frame” might look
scooter-inspired, with a semi-step-through sec ons. At 68bhp, it tops out around a
chassis and upright riding posi on, but claimed 118mph—more than adequate for
underneath beats a 692cc parallel twin linked a 15-inch wheeled machine.
to a conven onal manual gearbox and chain A quickshi er is missing, thanks to a
final drive. Running gear is first-rate: fully conven onal cable thro le rather than
adjustable Marzocchi 50mm USD forks, an ride-by-wire. S ll, a “track” mode allows
Öhlins rear shock, Brembo radial calipers, switchable ABS and trac on control.
and Pirelli Diablo Rosso rubber. To top it
off, it wears Alex Márquez-style paintwork Can it work as a road scooter?
and mini MotoGP-style Akrapovic silencers. Not really. There's no underseat storage or
fairing pockets, and any top box mount has
Remind me what a Dragster is? to be bolted onto the seat's aerodynamic fins.
You may recall the original Dragster as a late-1990s city Cruise control is absent, and the radical bodywork with
scooter with a skeletal steel tube frame, single-sided its vents and winglets will soak you in a wet commute.
front suspension, and a snappy 19bhp two-stroke On the tech front, though, it's well-equipped: colour
Gilera engine in the 180 version. Fi ed with expansion dash, tyre pressure monitor, Bluetooth, and integrated
chambers and intake kits, they were notorious for front/rear cameras. Keyless igni on adds a security
pinging off black taxi doors with playful aggression. bonus, but be warned: this bike will turn heads—and
a ract a en on you might not want.
Where does the 700 engine come from? The manual gearbox and exposed chain drive further
In a sign of the mes, the 2025 Dragster's engine is compromise everyday convenience, meaning the
sourced from China, not Italy. It's a variant of the unit Dragster scores a 7/10 as a city scooter.
powering Benelli's TRK702 adventure bike. Italjet now
operates globally, with R&D in Italy and manufacturing
in Thailand, Indonesia, and China, making its
partnership with QJMotor—Benelli's parent
company—perfectly logical. Italjet boss Massimo
www.lhrmotorcyclemagazine.co.za
38
